When 23-year-old Aaron Charles Tinney of Timmins was put on life support after an asthma attack in April 2016, his mom Leslie didn’t want to talk about organ donation at first.
Even though it was his wishes to be an organ donor, it was a hard decision for Leslie.
“But on Sunday I said, ‘well if we’re gonna cremate him we might as well let him do what he wants to do first’ and I’m so glad I did because now he can be happy knowing he saved these lives,” she said.
According to the Trillium Gift of Life Network, one donor can save eight lives and enhance the lives of 75 others through tissue donation.
When Aaron's wish was honoured, his heart, kidney, liver and pancreas were donated.
Through a little internet sleuthing, the Tinneys have connected with the man who received their son’s heart.
Leslie explained that the Trillium Gift of Life Network allows donor families and recipients to exchange letters, but any identifying information is blocked out.
The letters contained enough information, however, for Leslie’s husband to find the Bowmanville man who received the transplant.
At first it was too raw for Leslie to meet them, but this past summer the recipient and his wife spent two days up north with the Tinneys.
“It linked our families because now on our fire place we have our family picture and we have his family picture too and so out of some bad came some good. I’d still rather have my son, but if I can’t have my son then this is all right too,” she said.
For Mother’s Day, the wife of the man who received the transplant stitched together something special for Leslie.
Using pictures of Aaron and a few memorable quotes, she stitched together an intricate handmade quilt.
“It sits on my bed. I open it up and lay it across my bed every day because I don’t want it used really, but I don’t want it tucked away either,” Leslie said.
She shared her son's story Tuesday as the Timmins and District Hospital received provincial recognition for its dedication to organ and tissue donation.
In 2016/17, 80 per cent of the potential donors at the hospital that were referred to Trillium Gift of Lift Network went on to donate an organ or tissue. The target conversion rate set by Trillium is 58 per cent.
The hospital received the Provincial Conversion Rate Award for the Trillium Gift of Life Network. The award celebrates hospitals that meet or exceed the target.
“What it means is that the hospital has embraced organ and tissue donation and is working towards reducing the waiting list in Ontario,” said Trillium representative Janice Veitel.
In 2016/17 in Timmins, there were four organ donors. From those donors, 15 people received transplants.
To register your consent for organ donation, visit BeADonor.ca and talk to your family about your wishes.
